


A Much Needed Conversation

by Limerancy



Category: The Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canonical Character Death, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Hes A Ghost But Hes Tangible, Link is struggling, Love Confessions, M/M, Possibly OOC, Post-Calamity Ganon, Post-Vah Medoh Dungeon, Reconciliation, Revali is Dead and Im Sad, Revali's Dead But Like He's Fine, Selectively Mute Link (Legend of Zelda), Sign Language, Swearing, Teen Rating for swearing, Yall Have No Idea How Many Times I Typed Lonk Instead of Link LMAO
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-06-26
Updated: 2019-06-26
Packaged: 2020-05-19 18:36:31
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,184
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/19362289
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Limerancy/pseuds/Limerancy
Summary: "Link—" Revali almost reached out and grabbed the Hero's sleeve, remembering himself at the last moment. Link turned, raising an inquisitive eyebrow at Revali."I—"I want you to stay, I've been alone for so long, I'm glad you're alive, I'm sorry for failing, I'm sorry for pushing you away, I want to talk to you one last time, I want to tell you—





	A Much Needed Conversation

**Author's Note:**

> okay so this is mostly inspired by revali's journal from champion's ballad, and what he says post vah medoh cleansing about no one remembering him, and also the one post on tumblr about the sos distress signal in the vah medoh dungeon music
> 
> Revali is prob ooc for this but tbh its taking into account the fact that he fucking died and then spent 100 years in the death trap that killed him WITH the thing that killed him, so
> 
> this is completely 100% self indulgent nobody asked for this but me
> 
> also this isnt beta read and it wrote it at 4 am so sorry for any mistakes

"Link—" Revali almost reached out and grabbed the Hero's sleeve, remembering himself at the last moment. Link turned, raising an inquisitive eyebrow at Revali.

"I—" _I want you to stay, I've been alone for so long, I'm glad you're alive, I'm sorry for failing, I'm sorry for pushing you away, I want to talk to you one last time, I want to tell you_ —

Link's eyes softened, understanding dawning on his face. He nodded, sitting on the edge of the newly cleansed Vah Medoh and gesturing for Revali to join him. Revali sat, hesitant even though he had wanted it in the first place.

Link smiled, closing his eyes as the gentle breeze cooled his sweat. He signed to Revali without looking.

**[You must have been lonely. One hundred years is a long time.]**

"Anyone would be lonely, spending a hundred years alone in the vast metal machine they died in." He tried for flippant, but it landed somewhere along the lines of _choked_ and _too raw._

Link looked up at him, and something in his eyes told Revali he didn't have to hide around him. Not anymore.

"You...you must have been awfully lonely yourself."

Link looked away at that, bangs covering his face. He was the one hiding, now. **[I...was asleep. And when I woke up, I couldn't remember anything. So...I was lonely. But only after I woke up. I...still am kinda lonely.]**

"You...couldn't remember? Not anything?"

Link shook his head.

"But...now...?"

**[I remember, now...mostly. There are still a few things...]** Link dropped his hands, blowing at his bangs in frustration.

"Do you remember..." Revali couldn't let himself finish. It was too open, too honest, too _painful._

Link smiled up at him. **[I remember you, don't worry. And I remember everything you taught me.]** He chuckled. **[Some of the other Rito got so excited when I mentioned I knew you. I showed them a few of your tricks.]**

Revali blinked down at him in shock. He turned his head back to the Rito Village below. "They...remember me? I didn't think...it's been so long, I thought..."

Link frowned, brows furrowed in concern. **[Revali...they practically worship you down there. Do you know how many songs they sing and stories they tell of the great Rito Champion, Master Revali? You're their hero.]**

"Master Revali?" He smirked. "I quite like the sound of that."

Link rolled his eyes with a fond smile. **[Of course you do.]**

Revali let the silence between them stretch on for a few seconds longer.

"Thank you...Link."

Link looked up at him, eyes wide.

"You—ugh...you did what I...could not. I tried. I really did. But...we were all so unprepared. By the time I sent out the distress signal, it was already too late. I was doomed from the start."

Link put a hand on Revali's knee. A hundred years ago, Revali would have smacked it off and said some sharp-tongued and barbed insult he didn't really mean. But now, he really, truly needed the comfort.

"So, thank you. For saving my people. For saving Vah Medoh. And...and for saving me." He laughed, wet and self-deprecating. "I was such an asshole to you and you didn't deserve any of it. I'm...I'm sorry. I was so caught up in my jealousy, I didn't even think about how it all was for you. You were just some kid who found a sword, and then all of a sudden the whole world was saying you were the Hero of Time and you had to defeat Ganon. You had to have been under so much pressure...so, I'm sorry. For being an asshole. And for failing you when it really mattered."

"Revali..."

Revali jerked his head around, eyes wide. He didn't dare say a word. One hundred years ago, he had longed to hear Link's voice, to know what his name sounded like as it rolled off the Hero's tongue. One hundred years had changed nothing. He wanted to hear it again and again and _again_ —

"Revali, you don't have to apologize. You said it yourself, we were all unprepared. And..." Link smiled. It was small, just a little quirk of his lips. "I enjoyed talking with you. Everything we did was a competition, and that was so much more fun than just boring old training. My times with you are some of my fondest memories."

Revali couldn't handle this. He felt phantom aches in his chest, the telltale sign of his shattered heart begging to beat again, begging to leap out of his chest and into the hands of the boy in front of him. This beautiful, kind, talented, brave, strong, fiery, stubborn, _wonderful_ boy.

"I fucked up." Revali choked past the lump in his throat. "Link, I'm so sorry. I pushed you away for so long because I was so scared, but if I had _known_ —"

Link's eyes widened, glistening with unshed tears. "Revali, please—"

"I loved you, Link. I loved you so much it _scared_ me. And when I died, I wasn't thinking about Rito Village or Hyrule or Ganon, I was thinking about _you_ —"

A sob ripped itself out of Link's throat, but Revali couldn't stop, he couldn't, he had to say it, Link had to _know_ , he couldn't leave without _telling him_ —

"And how I just wanted to see you one last time. And when you showed up one hundred years later, I was so _scared_ , I thought I was going to have to watch you _die_ —"

Link threw himself forward, wrapping his arms around Revali's waist and sobbing. "Revali, I can't— I never thought I'd see you again and when I do, you fucking—" He sobbed, cutting himself off as he burrowed into Revali's form. Revali curled forward, wrapping his wings around Link and holding him close, hiding his beak in Link's neck.

"You always make it so hard to leave, Revali."

"You don't necessarily have to leave me, not completely anyway."

Link pulled away, looking up with wide, hopeful eyes. Revali reached into himself, pulling out something. It was a sphere of glowing green energy, hovering a few inches above his hand. He pushed it forward into Link, letting his fingers rest on Link's chest as it disappeared.

"A part of me will always be with you, Link. Wherever you are, you can call on me, and I will be there to help you fly."

"You're giving me your power?" Link's voice was just barely a whisper, hoarse from crying.

"Well, it's not getting much use up here. Might as well hand it off to someone who knows their stuff."

Link closed his eyes, a gentle smile spreading on his face as he put his hand over Revali's. He whispered the words, his voice starting to give out on him:

"Thank you."

"Shhh, don't push yourself."

Link opened his eyes, smiling up at Revali. **[I wish I could stay like this forever.]**

Revali felt a pang in his chest, but smiled as best he could despite it. "I have only ever wished the same."

**Author's Note:**

> obvs link doesn't stay there forever but...ya know...


End file.
